The present invention relates to a new and distinct variety of table grape (Vitis vinifera L.) known as Vitis vinifera L. and herein referred to as ‘Solbrio’, as herein described and illustrated.
‘Solbrio’ is particularly characterized by its black skin color of crisp textured and naturally large sized berries; consistent fruit production on spur-pruned vines; and maturing during late July in California's Central San Joaquin Valley.
The new cultivar is a result of a controlled pollination, conducted by the inventor in Parlier, Calif. The objective of the planned hybridization was to develop a new V. vinifera cultivar having a desirable combination of characteristics that would facilitate the cultivation of the table grape for producers and satisfy consumers with fruit of high eating quality such as firm, crisp flesh and sweet neutral flavor.
The new and distinct variety of grape plant originated from a hand-pollinated cross of ARS selection B55-70 (non-patented) x ARS selection C49-3 (non-patented) made in 2004 in Parlier, Calif. B55-70 is a black-skinned seedless grape selection with average skin thickness, flesh firmness and berry size that typically ripens in mid-September in the Central San Joaquin Valley. It has a noticeable seed trace, making it suitable as a seed parent for seedless×seedless ovule culture. The pollen parent, C49-3, is characterized as having black skin with a large berry size, firm flesh, and a very small seed trace. C49-3 typically ripens a week prior to B55-70. Both parents of ‘Solbrio’ are hybrids of the grape genus and species Vitis vinifera L. Immature seed resulting from the controlled hybridization of B55-70 x C49-3 were harvested approximately six weeks after pollination and established in vitro, eventually germinating in the laboratory during the fall of 2004. Resulting seedlings were planted in the spring of 2005 in Parlier, Calif. Seedlings from the controlled hybridization began fruiting during the summer of 2006 and one, designated ‘Solbrio’, was identified for its early ripening attractive black seedless fruit with firm, crisp flesh and neutral flavor, and selected for propagation and evaluation.
During 2007, the original selected plant ‘Solbrio’ was propagated asexually by rooting hardwood cuttings during the dormant period and a test plot of 27 vines was established in the Parlier, Calif. vineyard. All asexually propagated plants of ‘Solbrio’ have been observed to grow true to type after propagation, in both vegetative and fruiting characteristics, as compared with the original selected mother vine.